Tips for communicating ifyou have hearing loss•;Tell;people;that;you;have;difficultyhearing and ask if they can speakmore clearly•;Choose;a;good;listening;position•;Use;visual;cues•;Turn;off;noise;or;move;away;beforecommunicating•;Request;only;one;person;speak;at;atime•;When;dining;out,;go;when;it’s;likely;tobe less busy and sit across from yourguests rather than beside them. Askfor a table along a side wall•;Repeat;information;back;to;the;talkerto be sure you received it correctly•;Sit;with;your;better;hearingear towards the speaker. Bestcommunication distance is about 1 to

1.2 metres ( 3 to 4 feet).

altogether—eventually leading toisolation and possibly depression.”Age-related hearing loss, orpresbycusis, is very gradual andinsidious, and many people may notrealize they are affected or to whatdegree.

Wood says having trouble whiletalking on the phone is often anearly indicator of loss because visualcues are not available. People mayalso notice they are feeling moretired than usual because they haveto actively pay attention to soundsaround them rather than passivelylistening. “When family membersstart complaining that the TV volumeis too high, it might be time to comeand get a hearing test.”Normal hearing loss most oftenoccurs in both ears, and older peopleusually have a combination ofage-related hearing loss and noise-induced hearing loss (blame thoserock concerts in your 20s). Men morecommonly lose the high-frequencysounds, such as the higher-pitchedvoices of women and children, whilewomen can have flat loss acrossfrequencies.

Audiologists use hearing tests to
determine a person’s hearing loss.

Woods says most hearing loss can
be treated with hearing aids, but
unlike correcting vision, which is
immediate, takes time because the
brain must be retrained to receive
sound from the ear.

People may also benefit from aural
rehabilitation (AR) classes, which
help people adjust to hearing loss,

Tips for communicatingwith someone who hashearing loss•;Be;patient,;hearing;aids;take;time;andpractice to be effective•;Ask;the;person;with;hearing;lossif there is anything you can do toimprove his/her hearing and speechunderstanding•;Inform;the;listener;of;topic;changes;asthey occur in conversation•;Change;words;or;repeat;the;messageif the listener does not understand•;Speak;at;an;average;rate•;Remove;things;from;your;face;beforetalking•;Move;closer;to;the;listener,;call;thelistener’s name or touch their armbefore talking•;Conversation;is;easier;in;good;lighting.

Wood believes the stigma ofwearing hearing aids is disappearingand says people who come into herclinic are surprised by the improvedtechnology and wireless optionsavailable. “The tiny buds can beBluetooth-controlled by a pocketdevice so you don’t have to use yourhand to adjust the volume. With somany iPods and wearable Bluetoothdevices out there, it is ubiquitous tohave something in your ear.”For information about AlbertaHealth Services audiology serviceswhere you live, call Health LinkAlberta at 1-866-408-5465.

— Dawna Freeman

Having trouble whiletalking on the phone is often anearly indicator of hearing loss